Many kosher restaurants, delis and bakeries visited by local-authority inspectors are receiving “very poor” and “poor” ratings for food safety – the Jewish Chronicle reports.
A Chronicle investigation of 59 establishments assessed over the last two years found that 30 received either zero- or one-star ratings. Just two were graded five-star and another two four-star.
The ratings are based on a national Food Standards Agency system. A no-star grading suggests “little or no appreciation of food-safety legislation”. One star equates to “a poor level of compliance”.
Kashrut representatives variously expressed surprise and disappointment at the findings, but maintained that hygiene standards were high within the kosher market.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
This is a Chilul Hashem in a country that is rife with Anti-Semitism. Please correct this!
Correct which one? The anti semitism or the rats running around the expired, contaminated food?
Forget about anti-semitism for a moment — I eat in those restaurants! I’d certainly like to know what the ratings are. (I can guess a couple of places, but I’ve stayed away from those for a long time.)
In Alabama, where I lived for awhile, the results of quarterly inspections were posted prominentely in every food establishment’s front window. The score, on a scale of 1 – 100 was written in 10″ high letters, so a customer can see from the car, before getting out, if he/she wants to eat there. I had an evening job in one of those restaurants, in the back room, and can tell you, they REALLY too those inspections seriously. The establisments were given no warning. One minute the inspector was there. She could have been there only 3 weeks ago.
They took points off for every tiny infraction, including water not Instantly hot enough in the rest rooms, employees pocketbooks on a shelf or counter (they are supposed to be left in the car.)
Burned out lightbulbs, the list goes on. Those restaurants must be SPOTLESS in the back to get a good score. Too bad I could not eat there anyway.
(By the way, they understood, that as a Jew I could not prepare any basar b’chalav… ) I answered the phones, took orders, took care on inventory, etc.,)
I have no idea how it is in Englan, but in Alabama, those BIG numbers kept the restaurants clean.
I hope these English restaurants “Clean up their act”
whilst some of this information may be correct, having read the full articl in the jewish chronicle,(a paper anti-frum at the best of times), they also showed the dates of the inspection that gave these ratings. many of the checks done were done up to 2 years ago. The article clearly states that many of the restuarants have since cleaned up their shops and would easily gain full marks if inspected again. i have no involvement in the restuarant business but feel that YW writing this piece could be very misleading to anyone visiting london, or living here. people are very quick to recriminate, but not as fast to give credit where credit is due. Bon Appetite!!